A Highly Hexane Soluble Lithium Salt and other Starting Materials of the Fluorinated Weakly Coordinating Anion [Al{OC(CF3)2(CH2SiMe3)}4]−

Abstract The lithium salt of the weakly coordinating alkoxyaluminate anion Li[Al(OC(CF 3 ) 2 (CH 2 SiMe 3 )) 4 ] ( 2 ) is soluble in polar and even in non‐polar solvents. Especially the solubility in n ‐hexane confirms 2 to be an excellent candidate for Li ion catalysis. Its polymeric structure consists of a seven coordinated Li + cation, coordinating a [Al(OC(CF 3 ) 2 (CH 2 SiMe 3 )] − anion that serves as hexadentate O 2 F 4 ligand and a further bridging F atom of a second anion. Compound 2 reacts with ClCPh 3 giving the [CPh 3 ] + salt which is at least stable in CD 2 Cl 2 over days at 298 K, but decomposes after storage at 333 K for several days.